UNIVERSITY leaders have revealed ambitious plans to a create a new medical school as a way of meeting the need for more health professionals in the region.

The universities of York and Hull are working together with health bosses to develop a bid for the school, which they hope will become a magnet for students looking to enter the medical profession.

If successful, the development in York is expected to bring substantial benefits to patient care throughout North Yorkshire - part of the largest area in the country not currently served by a medical school.

Universities across the country were invited to bid for additional medical school places in September after the publication of the NHS Plan which pointed to a need for increases in health professionals, including doctors.

A first stage bid to the Department of Health and Higher Education Funding Council is due to be made by December 1.

A decision on the application is expected next Spring and if approved, the first medical students could arrive in 2003.

Professor Mark Baker, North Yorkshire's director of public health, said: "Our involvement, together with other health authorities, is essentially to plan the health service role in the content of the education and in providing clinical placements in hospitals and primary care groups.

"In the long term, the benefits for the NHS are multiple. The school would help increase the range of specialist expertise for patients in this part of the country.

"It would act as a magnet for doctors to train here and work here and I think the existence of the medical school would add something significant to the local community."

Prof Baker added: "We would also have a much bigger research environment on the doorstep and would strengthen local commerce."

A spokeswoman for the University of York said: "The Department of Health indicated that they needed a lot more health professionals, including doctors, and the Higher Education Funding Council said they would fund more student doctor places. They invited all universities to make these bids and they are particularly keen on partnership bids."

She said the new school would be likely to recruit around 120 students a year, although plans were still at an early stage.